Auxiliary maneuvering means for ships



United States Patent Friedrich W. Pleuger 2 Hamburg 70, 80 Juthornstrasse; Wilhelm Bey, 2 Hamburg 52, 19

F euerbachstrasse, Hamburg, Germany [2l] Appl. No. 760,022

[72] Inventors [22] Filed Sept. 16, 1968 [45] Patented Dec. 29, 1970 [32] Priority June 27, 1968 [33] Germany [3 l] No. 1,756,689

[54] AUXILIARY MANEUVERING MEANS FOR SHIPS 7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

114/151 B63h25/46 114/151, 148,147; 11S/l2 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,885,990 5/1959 Hawthrone l l5/35 FOREIGN PATENTS 43,143 5/1960 Poland l 14/151 603,491 4/1960 Italy 114/151 Prnzar)l Examiner-Andrew H. Farrell Attorne \Richards & Geier ABSTRACT: The invention relates to auxiliary maneuvering means for ships which` especially at maneuver voyages, provide an improved maneuvering capability in deep water and which also are applicable when travelling in low waters, wherein a lateral thrust device is combined with a slewing propeller. The centre portion of the tunnel ofthe lateral thrust device together with the propeller arranged therein is located in a recess in the interior ofthe ship. The centre portion ofthe tunnel is constructed as nozzle, which is downwardly extendible and in the extended position turnable around 360.

AL'XILIARY MANEUVERING MEANS FOR SHIPS DESCRIPTION lt is known to use extensible propeller devices as well as lateral thrust devices as auxiliary maneuvering means for ships. In addition to being used as auxiliary maneuvering drive for district trips an extensible slewing propeller can also be used as auxiliary drive for advancing direction of a ship with a sea'damaged main engine device. It is possible to use an extensible slewing propeller provided that a sufficient depth of water is existing, which, especially at district trips, is not always the case. Low water depth, however` cannot affect a lateral thrust device. The known lateral thrust devices consist of an auxiliary propeller arranged in a tunnel being provided in transverse direction of the vessel. Being mere maneuvering means` lateral thrust devices can only affect the ship by applying a lateral thrust, they cannot be used as auxiliary drive for the advancing direction of the ship.

lt is an important object of the invention to provide an auxiliary maneuvering means being independent from low water levels in port basins and the like.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an auxiliary maneuvering means which, in sufficient water depth, can also be used as auxiliary drive for the advancing direction of the ship.

Another object of the invention is to provide an auxiliary maneuvering means for ships by combining a lateral thrust device with an extensible slewing propeller.

A ship being provided with the auxiliary maneuvering means according to the present invention is no longer forced to retract the slewing propeller device in low water levels and to do without further own help for maneuvering.

In an advantageous further embodiment of the present invention. it is proposed to arrange the center portion of the tunnel of the lateral thrust device comprising the propeller, in a 'nel is retracted, the recess, which is open at the bottom, can be closed by a bottom piece being of streamline shape and adapted to the outer contour of the ship. This bottom piece is attached to the nozzlelike center portion of the tunnel. It is advantageous to construct the bottom piece as a hollow body and to provide it with openings for the passage of water in order to decrease the resistance.

A further embodiment of the invention is to arrange the center portion of the tunnel at a pivotable pillar consisting of sea water-resistant material at the upper end of which pillar the driving motor for the propeller is located. The pivotable pillar may be hollow to receive the driving shaft connecting the motor with the propeller. Suitably, a hydraulic lifting cylinder is used for extending and retracting the propeller situated in the center portion of the tunnel. However, there are other possibilities of lifting and lowering the propeller, especially mechanical ones. Two guide posts serve for guiding the slewing means also attached at the upper end of the pivotable pillar and thus for guiding the driving motor, too, being immediately coupled with the slewing means. At the upper and lower end of the guide posts stopping devices, as for instance cams, are provided to arrest the terminal positions of the propellers in the extended or retracted state. In lieu of a drive motor arranged in the interior of the ship at the upper end of the pivotable pillar. it is also possible to couple the propeller immediately with a submersible motor, thus saving the mechanical drive via a long driving shaft.

Besides, because of the very good heat absorption by the surrounding water a submersible motor has the advantage that it can support high stresses.

This invention will be better understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. in which:

FIG. l represents the arrangement of the invention in the hull of the ship and. drawn in interrupted lines, the center portion of the tunnel in the extended position;

FIG. 2 shows. in interrupted lines, the plan view from the front of the extended center part of the tunnel according to FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a section through a submersible motor directly coupled with an auxiliary propeller.

In a nozzle-shaped center portion l of a tunnel the propeller 2 is housed, which is driven by the driving motor 3 via a driving shaft not shown and a gear situated in the gear housing 4. In the retracted position of the propeller, the center portion 1 of the tunnel is located in a recess 5 of the hull 6 of the ship. Recess 5 is open at the bottom and by means of a bottom piece 7 is closed from below. At both sides of the center portion 1 of the tunnel arranged in transverse direction of the ship, end portions 8 of the tunnel are provided being rigidly connected with the hull 6 of the ship. The gear housing 4, by a flanged joint and by lateral supports is connected with the center portion 1 of the tunnel, which forms a unit with the bottom piece 7 placed underneath. The center portion 1 of the tunnel is secured at a strong pivotable pillar 9 consisting of sea waterresistance material. Pivotable pillar 9 receives its guidance from a lower bearing 10 with sealing and in an upper, not shown bearing in a so-called crosshead 1l containing the slew` ing means for the center portion 1 of the tunnel with propeller 2 in extended position and guided by two guide posts 12. The electric motor 3 provided for the drive of propeller 2 is mounted on crosshead 11. Via an elastic coupling (not shown) is crosshead 11 the electric motor 3 is connected with the driving shaft led through the hollow pivotable pillar 9 and with the pinion shaft of the gear housing 4. By means of two hydraulic lifting cylinders 13 laterally attached at crosshead 11 the center portion 1 of the tunnel with propeller 2 can be extended and retracted. The upper and lower terminal position of crosshead 11 is arrested by hydraulic stops, which are pushed into so-called guide cams 14 at crosshead 11. Openings 15 in the hollow bottom piece 7 permit the passage of the flowing water and thus decrease the resistance of the center portion 1 of the tunnel in its extended position.

In the retracted state the invention is used as lateral thrust device. The electric motor 3 which -can be switched over to another turning direction, via an elastic coupling in crosshead 11 and a driving shaft in the pivotable pillar 9, drives the pinion shaft in the gear housing 4. The pinion of the pinion shaft engages a bevel wheel on the shaft of the propeller. l`his bevel wheel is not shown. In this operating position the hydraulic for the lifting movement is out of action. The upper stops are in gear with the terminal cams 14 at crosshead 11 and arrest the center portion of the tunnel in its position.

Recess 5 at the bottom is closed by a bottom piece 7. After the center portion l of the tunnel has been extended, the invention is used as slewing propeller, for which purpose the lifting cylinders 13 are used. After the upper stop has been released, the pivotable pillar 9 can be extended downwardly. In the lower position the lower stops get engaged and arrest the center portion of the tunnel in the extended state. As soon as the auxiliary maneuvering means is extended, it can be pivoted without limitation in both turning directions by the slewing device (not shown) arranged in crosshead 11` The pilot propeller 3 is driven in the same manner as in retracted State.

departing from the scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

l. ln a ship, an auxiliaryl maneuvering device comprising means forming a tunnel having a central portion located in a recess inside the ship and constituting a nozzle, a propeller within said central portion a motor driving the propeller, and means lowering said central portion along with the propeller below the ship and turning said central portion in its lowered portion to the extent of 360.

2. The auxiliary maneuvering device according to claim 1, wherein, when the propeller is retracted, the recess being open at the bottom is closed by a streamlined bottom piece which is arranged at the center portion of the tunnel and adapted to the outer contour ofthe ship.

3. The auxiliary maneuvering device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the bottom piece is constructed as a hollow body and provided with openings for the passage of water in order to decrease the resistance.

4. The auxiliary maneuvering device of claim l, wherein the center portion of the tunnel is attached at a pivotable pillar consisting of sea water-resistant material.

5. The auxiliary maneuvering device according to claim 4, wherein the propeller and the driving motor for the propeller are arranged at the upper end ofthe pivotable pillar.

6. The auxiliary maneuvering device according to claim 5` wherein the pivotable pillar is hollow and contains the driving shaft connecting the motor with the propeller.

7. The auxiliary maneuvering device of claim l, wherein the driving motor of the propeller is constructed as submersible motor and immediately coupled with the propeller. 

